By: Sam and Torrey

Prison Camps

Confederate Camps

AndersonvilleCamp FordCastle PickneyCastle ThunderDanvilleLibbySalisburyBelle IsleCahaba

Andersonville

Located in Georgia Drinking water came from a creek called Sweet Walter

Branch also served as a sewer. Officially named camp Sumter. Called Andersonville

because it was located in the village on Andersonville, Sumter County

No barracks Graves are still used today to bury veterans February 1864 to April 1865 Originally intended for 10,000 prisoners At one time held 33,000 49,485 entered the gates Superintendent was named Henry Wirz. He was hanged

after the war for his harshness

Belle Isle

Located west of Richmond, VirginiaWere allowed to swim in James River but

many were shot for trying to escape.Given tents to sleep with 3,000 per tentOriginally an iron factoryNorth claims high death rate where South

claims low.

Cahaba

Located in Cahaba, AlabamaHeld over 5,000 union soldiersWas originally a cotton warehouseLeader was a Methodist minister do to

that there was a low death rateToday it’s a ghost town

Sultana Disaster

The Sultana left New Orleans on April 21, 1865. Carrying Union soldiers Went to Vicksburg on April 24 to find the boilers were leaking. It made it 48 before it had its disaster Boilers exploded that was heard all the way back in Memphis Sleeping soldiers were blew up Hot coal blew from furnaces all over the midships section of

the steamer 1,500 to 1,900 died 500-600 men taken to local hospitals Few hundred survivors formed Sultana Survivors Society Some say a vengeful ex-Confederate put explosives in the

coal

Castle Pickney

Was captured by South Carolina’s federal militia after they seceded on December 20, 1860

Was not a death campFirst prisoners were captured after the

Battle of Bull RunThey were treated very wellWas declared a national monument in

1924

Castle Thunder

Originally a tobacco warehouseLocated in Richmond, VirginiaSoldiers were treated very harsh At the end government used it to

incarcerate Confederates who were charged with war crimes

Danville

Located in Danville, VirginiaWas originally a tobacco industry 6 buildings were used to house prisonersOnly 1 building remains

Camp Ford

Located in Tyler, TexasPrisoners were treated fairly Housed about 4,700One of the lowest death rates of and Civil War

prisonPrisoners made novelties, musical instruments

and other crafts Prison was destroyedDead soldiers were put in Alexandria National

Cemetery

Libby

Located in Richmond, VirginiaMore than 50,000 men were held thereMany escapes occurredGeneral H. Judson Kilpatrick created one

of the biggest escapes were 109 officers dug their way out, 59 were able to reach union lines, 2 drowned, 48 were recaptured

Salisbury

Only confederate camp located in North CarolinaFirst soldiers were captured after Battle of Bull

RunAt first prisoners were treated well, until the end

of the war when it began to become overcrowded Dead prisoners were buried outside the walls in

trenches. Which is now Salisbury National Cemetery

Trenches were 18 foot deep trenches that were 240 feet long

Union

ElmiraAltonCamp ChaseCamp DouglasCamp RandallFort DelawareFort JeffersonFort McHenryOld Capitol Point LookoutRock Island

Elmira

Along the Chemung RiverFoster’s pond stood as a backwashEach day coffins of 9 were put on a buckboard and

they walked a mile and a halfJohn W. Jones made a wooden marker with soldiers

number, name, and regimentSoldiers who survived were sent back to the SouthAt the end of 1865 the camp was closed and torn

downIt was only there for 369 days but had the highest

death rate of any prison North or South

Point Lookout

In Saint Mary’s County, MarylandAbout 50,000 soldiers were kept thereThey had tents but then overcrowding

occurred and they took them awayAbout 14,000

Rock Island

it’s now Arsenal IslandAround 2,0000 soldiers diedWhen soldiers first started arriving it was

below 0 degreesRock Island is compared to AndersonvilleIt is the 2nd highest death rate for Union

camps

Fort McHenry

Located in MarylandPrisoners were treated fairlyAllowed to buy goodsSometimes would bribe guards to let them

go into Baltimore for fun then came back undetected in the back in the morning

Old Capitol

Located in Washington, D.CMany hangings occurred here including….The Lincoln Assassination ConspiratorsSpiesPolitical prisonersCaptain Henry Wirz, superintendent of

Andersonville

Alton

Soldiers first came in February 9, 1862Cells were 4x7, 3 men to a cell12,000 soldiers incarcerated here

Camp Chase

First prisoners came on November 1861Located in OhioCaptured officers were allowed to roam

through OhioBuilt for 3,500-4,000 men, once held

7,000

Camp Douglas

Located in ChicagoFirst prisoners came in February 1862Punishment was cruelPrisoners clothes were taken to

discourage escapeBlankets were taken from those who had

them1,091 died in 4 months

Camp Randall

Located in Wisconsin139 men diedOriginally at the site of the Wisconsin

State Fair1,300 prisoners stayed there

Fort Delaware

Little food supplyAte rats if they could find them2,700 men died there

Fort Jefferson

Located in Dry Tortugas-chain of islands in Florida

Originally intended for rebellious Union soldiers

Called “America’s Devil Island”

LEQ

It still left tension between North and South after the war

Many died from disease and starvationDisagreements on how many died

"War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over."

General William Tecumseh Sherman